The plan can be expressed in the form of a learning contractas described earlier in this
chapter.
Planned experience
Experiential learning can take place by planning a sequence of experience that meets
a learning specification for acquiring knowledge and skills that will prepare people to
take on increased responsibilities in the same or different functions and occupations.
Aprogramme is drawn up which sets down what people are expected to learn in each
department or job in which they are given experience. This should spell out what
they are expected to discover for themselves. A suitable person should be available to
see that people in a development programme are given the right experience and
opportunity to learn, and arrangements should be made to check progress. A good
way of stimulating people to find out for themselves is to provide them with a list of
questions to answer. It is essential, however, to follow up each segment of experience
to check what has been learnt and, if necessary, modify the programme.
Planned experience used to be known as ‘job rotation’, but was often an inefficient
and frustrating method of acquiring additional knowledge and skills. What
has sometimes been referred to as the ‘Cook’s tour’ method of moving trainees
from department to department has incurred much justified criticism because of
the time wasted by them in locations where no one knew what to do with them, or
cared.
572 ❚ Human resource development
Set goalsAssess current positionImplementPlan action▲▲▲▲Figure 38.1 Stages in preparing and implementing a personal development plan